When your pet exhibits strange behavior, please pay attention to how often they do it. Puppies often chase their tail because they are still becoming aware of their body. If your young puppy is chasing their tail, you don’t have to worry about training them out of the behavior. An adult dog that is tail chasing might need intervention to stop them or be evaluated by a veterinarian if there are other concerning symptoms.
Boredom
A reason a dog could be chasing their tail can be just as simple as being bored. A lack of physical and mental stimulation for dogs can lead to behaviors like chasing their tail, destructive chewing, and even staring at the wall. Tail chasing is a way they can entertain themselves and release some of their pent-up energy. Certain dog breeds have more energy and need daily exercise to ensure they don’t develop destructive behaviors. Try walking or playing fetch with them. For mental stimulation, give your dog puzzle toys. Dogs thrive off of routine. Schedule daily walks and playtime into your day, and stick to it. After increasing physical activity, if the behavior stops, it’s safe to say they need to release some energy.
Attention Seeking Behavior
When a dog wants your attention, any response will satisfy them, even if you reprimand them. It is easy for dogs to exhibit behavior because it gave them a reaction before. Your dog’s tail-chasing could be saying, “Hey! Look at me! Has your dog chased their tail, and you chuckled at them and called them over to pet them for the adorable display? That could be you reinforcing that behavior. To stop attention-seeking behavior, you do the opposite of what you did before to confirm the action. When your dog is twirling around in circles chasing their tail, ignore them, and when they stop, give them praise for stopping. Positively reinforce behaviors you want with praise and treats, and don’t react to destructive behaviors. Your dog will catch on quickly. Like boredom, attention-seeking behavior could also be from a lack of exercise and mental stimulation. Try to set aside sometime each day where you can play with them or take them on a long walk.
Compulsive Behavior
Dogs with underlining health conditions or anxiety can form compulsive behaviors. That’s when they exhibit normal dog behavior repeatedly to the point that it could become obsessive or dangerous to their health. If a dog is compulsively chasing their tail, it’s paired with tail biting. If your dog is repeatedly chasing their tail an alarming amount, take them to the Veterinarian. The Vet will do a full workup to rule out any underlining medical conditions. Healthy dogs that form compulsive behaviors are often treated with medication to help with their anxiety. Training is essential to teach your dog healthier ways to cope with their severe anxiety or fear. When working with a dog with anxiety, it’s best to seek help from a certified dog trainer or Boarded Behaviorist.
Parasites
Is your dog chasing their tail until they catch it and then chewing on it? Is this a new behavior that has recently started and has been persistent? Your poor pup could have an unwanted parasite. Fleas and ticks can cause your dog to itch, and yes, even chaise their tail around. Chewing helps them relieve the itchiness, and sometimes it can be their tail that is the source of their frustration. Lightly run your fingers over the fur, inspecting their skin and looking for brown or black specs in their fur, commonly known as flea dirt. Flea infestations can be highly stressful, especially if you have other animals in the home. For dogs, oral preventatives typically work the best for flea prevention and help get rid of fleas. If your dog isn’t already on a preventative, reach out to your Veterinarian and suggest a Flea and tick preventative like Trifexis. Knock Out Spray is a great product to get unwanted visitors. The spray isn’t topical, but you can spray the spots where your pet frequents and on the carpet. When maintaining a flea infestation, you should vacuum the house frequently. Eggs hatch every two to three days, so you should clean at least every other day to prevent eggs from hatching into another generation.
Allergies
Another common reason for sudden tail chasing and chewing could be allergies. Have you recently changed their food? Some dogs have food allergies or even seasonal allergies that cause severe itchiness. I would watch them and see if they display other signs of allergies, like licking their paws, chewing their hind end, or if they are losing patches of fur. Bring them to the Veterinarian to be evaluated and discuss what might cause their allergies. They might suggest you put them on a diet for sensitive skin or prescribe something to help with their allergy symptoms. •Also works on heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms •Comes in 5 different dosages depending on weight Addressing allergies can be a long process. When treating your pet, it can be a lot of trials and error to try and identify what might be the cause of their constant itchiness. It’s helpful to keep a journal and a list of the things that you have changed or used around your pet to find what might be the cause.
Injury & Medical Conditions
Dogs bite at painful areas to soothe their discomfort. Their tail chasing could be because there is something wrong with that area or even a neurological condition. Watch and monitor the behavior. If it’s constant, you might need to have them evaluated to rule out broken bones, infection, or even cancer. Be proactive when it comes to bringing your pet to the Veterinarian. When a medical condition is found early, it could make a difference in treating your pet. The main concern for constant tail-chasing is that if there isn’t an injury, an injury can occur if they actually catch their tail and chomp down too hard.
Should I Worry?
A healthy dog that occasionally partakes in a game of chasing its tail is often not concerning. There are a lot of dog breeds that need a good amount of mental and physical stimulation, and if they aren’t getting it will resort to odd behaviors for entertainment. Puppies especially will partake in this behavior because they are still figuring out their bodies and have a lot of playful puppy energy. An adult dog chasing its tail frequently and chewing at its rear is more of a concern, especially if it’s a new behavior. It could mean that there is something more going on than boredom or attention-seeking behavior. If you notice other concerning symptoms like whining or discomfort, take a video of the behavior and bring your dog to the Vet to be evaluated.
